primetime

Why is it I want a Megabass parabug so badly???? Down for the Frog for sure...been checkin those out, River 2 sea has good prices for a Japanese Line of Lures.

Nobody likes a quiter.....

Trust me on this one....It will not get any better unnless you somehow get hooked on something else to spend your money on....I have so much tackle that it gives me anxiety when I see it all, and I can easily fill a mini van with softbaits and lures...Rods and equipments are in storage units.....It all started when Sports authority closed down there fishing dept, and I was able to get 90% off of anything they had and I cleaned out 4 stores to "Make Money and Sell at Flea markets etc." I can't sell it, that would be stupid, I saved 90% on thousands of top quality lures, packs of line, Hooks, and the huge Offshore and Saltwater Lures that I never use were the best deal of them all on paper....d**n those bins that Gander, Bass Pro, Dicks, and all the liquidators put out so you are forced to peel back the top layer......wow, I am about to have a panic attack with all the money I have wasted, although I am sure I could actually still turn a profit if I could sell the stuff, but I can't...I love it, My tackle Display makes me an instant Champion when I step near the water!!! Anyone reading this,.....start checking the buy and sell page on this site because I actually have to get rid of alot of stuff and am happy just getting cost for most of it, and some I will give away to some beginerrs I think. I don't have room to buy new stuff and stuff is getting obsolete even though it is still in original packaging....

Collecting Cocaine would not be efficient...Storage & Display is often tough from what I understand, and losing or discovering that your collection was either gone or evaporated could be worse than worring about a chartruese grub getting wet & bleeding into your best soft plastics.... However, I think you would improve your night fishing Skills rather quickly, and I would suggest Investing in a Reel with a VERY SLOW GEAR RATIO before embarking on this possible collection.... To be serious, I am 100% addicted to fishing & Buying way too much tackle & gear and it is something my girlfriend is constantly discussing with me whenever I am home and not fishing or taking the dog to the park (Dog parks have great Ponds for Big Bass) and I really never hear what she is saying as I am usually focused like a laser on Google Maps looking for access points to the next "Secret Spot" that I scout & fish every morning before work.....But I get my fix even if the pond or lake is not any good because then I have all day at work to scout for a new lake or pond to fish after work.....And if I have a good week, I may score at night, and we all know how much fun a good night trip can be especially on new water when a double digit fish could explode on your next cast....Plus I explained to her that it Takes till Midnight for a Largemouth Bass to start feeding as their eyes take a long time to adjust, and on nights when there is a full moon, they flat out can't see until first light.... I am going to die alone as an old man with me, My dog, Fishing Gear.....and when I die, someone is going to probably get the score of their lives on craiglist.....I alway's feel guilty when I get a huge tackle lot off of craigs list as I feel the fishing gods are never happy with me when I start arranging all the lures, changing trebles etc....I have some Hardcore Bass Anglers looking down on me with scorn for sure as they would hate my custom paint jobs on their hard baits with a sharpie

With Modern Medicine, you are going to live longer than you think....I suggest buying more Lures as I am afraid you may be selling yourself short. Are you sure you have enough Topwater lures?Walkers,Prop baits,Double Props,Rattle & Non Rattle,Poppers, Jitterbugs,Skirted Walkers and poppers, Buzzbaits,Floating Buzzbaits? What if they are Only Hitting the 1 color & Size of a certain brand or model lure you are using and you only have 2 and you break both of them off because you found a school of Lunkers? Now....Lipless cranks, Suspending and Floating Crankbaits, Balsa and abs Hardbaits and Swimming plugs, Hooks, Terminal Tackle, Line, Soft Baits, Spinnerbaits... In reality, I enjoy having way too much tackle, and I love running into kids when fishing a pond or lake and letting them each pick out a few lures and they always gravitate towards Live Target frogs, and Sebile Glitter Filled Lures, and they love any Segmented swimbait. It pays off in the end, as knowing the local kids who fish all the ponds allow you access to any lake or pond you ever wanted to fish.....Plus, some of these 14-17 year olds can flat out fish, and I recently met my future Tournament partner who is 15 and could be the next KVD.....You have to love it when he shows me a picture of a Bass that I quickly label "that could be a Ten pound fish?" and the response is simply, na, that fish was 7.5 at best, but I have pictures on my facebook of 10's I have caught in the same pond......We are making our 3rd trip to this pond again this evening & we make a bet before each trip that whoever gets the biggest fish based on the Rapala Formula gets to pick out any lure out of the others box.....I am hoping I win tongight as I am currently 0-2 and lost to a 8.8lb Bass he caught Flipping a Jig like a pro.....I thought I had both trips in the bag after catching solid 6lb fish to start the trip, but He is better with a Jig, and jigs catch bigger fish than my Swimbaits,Topwaters, and Punch Skirts brush hogs recently....

I have an Ebay Shop which is not profitable, but at least it gives me a reason to buy tackle and pretend I am getting most of it for free(I lie to myslef), and sometimes I even make a few bucks as I get excited and will sometimes send extras if the guy or gal seems like a die hard fisherman. Problem is, I will order an assortment of 100 lures and when the box comes in, I take out all the best colors, sizes, and models for myself and then when I go on Ebay.....It seems everyone else is looking to get rid of those same Colors...Firetiger can be a tough sell, and so can Red Crawfish Patterns....I get stuck with alot of those, but I refuse to sell any lure when I pay a good price. One Day the 3 dozen Red Chili Bowl DD22's may win me a tournament, although I fish 20' of water rarely, actually never if I can help it...... I need help? Don't they have meetings for this type of behavior? In reality, I look at it as a healthy Hobby and my addictions could be much worse. I am a sucker for the new colors, Magazine articles, latest Technique......Still plan on Spybaiting soon, but if I ever need to throw a Duo Realis because the Spy Bite is on, I will be able to help a few guys out that day. No wonder my fishing partners only bring a few rods and reels, and maybe a pack of hooks......

I have been checking out the XPod for a while now and I love the design and mouth for a topwater....I also have been looking into some of the Robo Worm Swimbaits and Dropshot Worms/finesse as those colors are awesome looking.....I already have a box full of Zoom worms in every style, I think it is hard to beat a Zoom Trick worm if you needed one worm for one day... Thanks

Sound Like a Lure I want to try.....Is that a custom brand? I will google the bakers brand and I will order a Pumpkinseed which has always been a killer for plastics... Thanks

You can catch big Bass through The Ice and I have caught several 21-23" Largemouth in NY while Ice Fishing For Walleye,Perch, Trout, and hair Jigs tipped with Minnows (I know it's live bait but it's Ice Fishing) and we actually catch them on the small panfish Tubes and 2.5" Sassy Shads through the ice. The Key to Cold water shallow bassin is patience, and if you are fishing slow, then fish slower...Suspending Jerkbaits, Slow Rolling jigs, SHakey Jigs with Zipper worms, inline SPinners like a Mepps Aglia instead of the 1/2 spinnerbait..and yes..if windy, throw a Buzzbait and hold on....A buzzbait works year round and have caught big Bass with ice in my guides on 1/4-3/8 white buzzbaits with a small trailer with limited action like a paddle tail doa grub.

Sebile Crankster, all sizes are good, KVD 1.5, Silent Bandits and bandit 100 series (Hard to beat for the $$) Rapala Clackin Crank and Crankin Rap, Fat Rap, and The Academy H20 Express Luck E strike Look a Likes. I love the Wake bait in Bluegill, shellcracker, but they make a color called Barfish that is a KILLER..I love all The Academy Hardbaits with the Luck E Craft Shells, and the Internals must be decent since I do Ok with them.....

I Love Cold Water Bass Fishing here in Florida as I find I get the Lakes and Ponds to myself, which is an advantage since the Fish are not pressured, or under any stress from Anglers walking the Banks loudly, Shouting or talking loud, or Casting giant Baits that Spook fish...Pond Fishing is my favorite and Don't let the Cold or even Ice get you discouraged....Some of my best Largemouth from up North (NY) Came through the Ice on Small Hair Jigs in White, Brown, or (Pink for some reason), I like to Downsize here in Florida when fishing Bigger Lakes in the Cold, but if I am in a Pond under say 5-10 acres, and I am familiar with the bottom and depths, I like to focus on finding sheltered water, warmer water, often moving water, and they are often suspended when the water is really cold..... In the Mornings, I will usually start out with a small hair Jig 1/32-1/8 oz maybe with a small twister tail grub, small darter head jig 1/16 with a 2" Tube, Grub, Crawbug, or any panfish swimbait under 2.5"... If the warmer starts to warm, I will start looking for the warmer water and start fishing the pond with the same methods I always do, only I may need to use lighter line due to clear water, slower retrieves, suspending Jerkbaits so they stay in front of the fish longer....(I have used the :30 pause and it has worked but it is tought to do....I like to tap my rod while letting it sit so I feel like I am doing something and it works for me) and believe it or not.......A BUZZBAIT WHEN THERE IS A CHOP ON THE WATER, WILL CATCH BASS ALL YEAR LONG, AT LEAST HERE IN FLORIDA..... I was a non beleiver until I witnessed a kid putting a clinic on me burning a chartruese buzzbait in December after a Cold Front while I was Split Shotting a 4" zoom trick worm in Junebug chart tail.......I now love to carry some buzzbaits, Devils Horse topwaters, Skitter Props, Torpedos, and Woodchoppers if really windy.... If you like throwing a spinnerbait, I would maybe start out with a smaller 3/16 model or maybe even an inline Mepps #1 aglia, or simply use what you use and fish it slower, or mabye you just need to make more casts in the same spots to entice strikes....I also love a 2.5" Sassy Shad on a light jig head or Slider worm, or tube rigged on a Gitzit jig head as they will crush it if suspended if the jerkbait or horizontal approach is not working...Some use spoons, I use Tubes and I work em like a Rip Bait, or Cranbait or Punch bait....Tubes flat out work. Motor Oil in clear water is tough to beat with a touch of chart or red flake.

I have a $50 gift card that I plan on spending on Fishing Tackle, and I am looking to get out of my comfort zone and find some new & Fun Topwaters or Swimbaits(Hard or Soft) and I was planning on going with Tackle Warehouse since they seem to have the best selection of Lures overall. I Love fishing Topwaters and a Zara Spook is my favorite Topwater with a Yozuri Banana Boat & Sebile Splasher a Close 2nd and 3rd..For Soft Swimbaits I am in Love with the Gambler Ez Swimmers, Lake Fork Magic Swimmer, Money Minnows & Shadalicious.....I actually use a Cheap Knockoff Hard Segmented Swimbait that I like, and it seems to outproduce the Sebile Magic Swimmers and Strike King Segmented/Storm Swimbaits..Are the $20 + swimbaits and Jerkbaits really worth the money? I have a hard time believing that a $30 Megabass Jerkbait is that Much better than the Smithwick Rogues & even the Lucky Craft Series of Jerkbaits. I can rationalize $20 for a killer Topwater as I probably won't lose it, so if anyone has a killer topwater that is "Exotic and works great, I would love the tip". Anyone Recommend or try the new Live Target Bait Ball? Scatter Rap or Minnow? Megabass Parabug? Any suggestions as I am also getting into the Finesse soft baits as well and some of these new Japanese Soft Baits look awesome, but are they better on a drop shot than a Berkley Powerbait Twitch Shad,Kvd, or Zoom Finesse worm? Always looking for a new presentation and a new bait to try on the lake, especially with the Spring Bassin starting to hit full stride here in Florida. Thanks in Advance.

I Like to throw Braid (30lb Suffix 832 or Power Pro Plus) on a Crankbait Rod that has plenty of give as the braid will not stretch at all and if you have a rod that is too stiff, losing fish starts to get frustrating.....I often keep a spare crankin rod ready spooled up with some 12lb Yo-zuri Hybrid Copolymer as I find straight Fluoro a bit stiff for casting gear and I have had issues with fluoro but I think that is due to some confidence Issues I have with Flurocarbons....I will use a fluoro leader however, sometimes no leader, and if using mono or a Co-polymer, I skip the leader all together and love having just one Knot. I had issues with the First Fluorocarbon I ever tried..Berkely Vanish, and as many have referenced, I watched alot of lures and fish Vanish at the same time. I then tried Stren Fluorocast and did not have much better luck...However, I was throwing my buddies crankbait set up the other day and I really liked the action of the crankbait & ease of casting/reeling & when he told me it was 12lb Fluoro which was Berkley 100% I have to say that the Flourocarbon on the market today is much nicer and user friendly than a few years ago.... Overall....Remember that any line will work to get strikes, Braid and Fluoro will help you get your baits down deeper in many occassions, but as others mentioned, Drag, Drag, Drag is key, and make sure you set it using either a scale, or by actually setting the hook and feel the drag from the end of the rod, don't just do the drag pull from the reel like so many of my buddies tend to do, and they are always telling the story about the "10lb fish that got away"....If a fish is green, let her peel line, unless she is heading toward cover, and that is when Braid comes in handy as you can button down the hatch if needed at times. Hope that helps. but all good answers as always on this site. Really not a wrong answer on line, fighting fish with trebles on cranks out of the box can be an issue and Ill save that one for another day.

I believe that there is no Right or Wrong Answer to this question. IMO, Confidence is the most important part of fishing, and if you are not confident fishing braid without a leader, than keep doing what you are doing. Some Guys Love High Viz Lines, some guys hate them..... I talk to hundreds of fisherman weekly, and line is by far the most debated topic when someone asks me suggestions for tackle for a tournament, or for a fishing trip in local waters.... I like tying to Braid Directly when Flipping heavy cover & I use 40-65lb Braid, and I have confidence in Green, or darker shades of braid since it is not getting a leader...However, If I am fishing near sharp shells or rocks, docks, hard bottoms etc, I often use a leader that is clear and I personally like Yo-zuri Hybrid or any copolymer since it gives me better knot strength than Mono, and 20lb test is super strong and I rarely have break offs like I used to have with straight fluorocarbon... I only like Fluorocarbon if I am fishing it as a casting main line, so I usually throw crankbaits and jerkbaits on 12-14lb fluoro so I only have to tie one knot. Maybe I don't tie the best knots in the world, but I have had fluoro knots break when tied to braid in Cold weather or from setting the hook too hard out of habit. I don't beleieve any line is invisible, and I always color my line with sharpies based on the color of the water I am fishing, and I may change the color of the last yard or two several times daily, and I always try to fish without a leader for one simple reason.....Less Knots equall less breakoffs for me, and more confidence fighting fish....I know guys who re-tie every half hour or after each fish, but I am not that patient. I love Mono as a leader for Topwaters only because of action, and braid by itself often gets tangled with topwater lures like a spook, so I will go with a heavy Mono leader and when fishing Topwater, Spinnerbaits, and reaction strike baits, I don't think line diameter matters much. However, If I am finesse fishing "Pressured or spooked fish" I have found that on slow presentations like slow rolling a worm, or jig along the bottom, drop shots, split shot rigs...I try to go as light as possible with spinning gear, and I find that Clear berkley Fireline is perfect for a superline without a leader, or if I am really needing a strike, I will go straight 6lb Mono on a 4" worm or fluke without a weight, and I like Mono for the fact that it sinks slower and keeps my bait in the strike zone longer.... I guess my feeling is this....There are no wrong or right anwers but I think the most important aspect of line is making sure you have the right line that gives you the confidence to Land fish since often times landing a big Bass is harder than getting them to strike.......I love Suffix 832, Berkley Crystal for Spinning rods, and Yozuri Hybrid copolymer for heavy line, and straight mono or Fluoro on a few rods if I need to get a crank to dive deeper, so its more about the presentation then line shy.

Google Earth is a fishermans best friend for finding Puddles that often are holding a double digit bass or possibly a few. I live near a very small (1/4 acre) spring fed ditch that I literally passed for years on my way to a 3 acre pond that I was proud to find all on my own. One day I was driving past this puddle when I noticed an Osprey swooping down to the water, and the bird was not able to handle the size of the Giant Golden Shiner that was 10" and FAT. After pulling over for a closer look, I noticed a bunch of birds hunting bait, and when I put on my polorized glasses and looked in the water, I was amazed at the sight of crystal clear water, bluegills, shiners, and extremely fat & Healthy Bass all swimming around slowly just cruising around this small pit, and the amount of 4-5lb Bass was endless, and for some reason I have never seen any fish larger than 6-7lbs as they swim through pipes and are only in this puddle when water levels in the lakes are high and after heavy rain in the hot summers.....I am sure a few 10lb plus fish are in this spot but with all the bait they can be tough to catch, and it is not as easy to catch them with artificials as it once was. I never fish the spot during the day as I don't want anyone to see me in this spot for a bunch of reasons, but I now often will look for tiny ponds or rock pits when taking a few hours to scout new spots to fish.

When it comes to choosing fishing line it can become overwhelming if you start doing research and experimenting witth all the different types and colors etc...I have tried almost every braid, mono or copolymer on the market since I work part time at a large tackle shop with bulk spools of all the major brands, and I find that each brand of Mono is similiar & perfoms well....I still use Mono for Topwater, Baitcasting reels for Open water cranking, spinnerbaits, and soft plastics since it is the easiest to handle, and if you are using 8lb mono now and not having any issues, why fix what isn't broken? Fishing with braided line is not for everyone, and there is a learning curve involved which can be quite expensive the first few days on the water, especially if you are casting in windy conditions, not used to closing your bail manually, and prefer a fast tip rod & rip hooksets extremely hard. I won't get into the entire process of knot tying which is different than mono, the need for leaders in many cases, line color, and unlike mono, power pro braid compared to Berkley Fireline (coated braid or superline) or even power pro plus, is comparing apples and oranges in how it handles..... Everyone I speak with about fishing line always has a personal preference and I rarely try to sell someone braided line if they are happy with mono, and I find many customers at the shop I work in will purchase braid without knowing anything about the line they are buying, and they almost always have a bad experience on the water after blindly spooling up 40lb power pro on a spinning reel that is not able to handle a line that strong... I can ramble for hours about lines since it is the most important factor when it comes to catching fish in my opinion next to having quality hooks that will not bend. Here is what I recommend if you have never used braid before and want to start punching heavy cover for bigger fish with soft baits or jigs.... If you are using spinning gear for worm fishing in heavy cover I would Strongly encourage you to make the move to a PE Coated Superline like Berkley Crystal Fireline, Tuff-line duracast or the newer coated line, or Berkley Nanofil which is a true Superline, and not a braid at all. Nanofil is expensive, but truly hanldes like Mono and is every bit as good as berkley advertises and Fireline is optimized for spinning reels and very good as well. The coated lines are a good choice for more strength on spinning reels and if you currently fish 8lb mono, I would go with 14 Fireline which has a 6lb diameter for longer casting, more strength, and same clear color. If using a baitcaster, then simply go to a heavier Mono like 17lb Trilene XT,Suffix, or any abrasion resistant mono. If I had to choose the best overall line for every situation in bass fishing, I would have to pick yo-zuri Hybrid Co-polymer Fluorocarbon/Nylon fused line which has the benefits of Flurocarbon in abrastion resistance, more sensitive, softer than Fluoro and easier to cast, and does not lose knot strength or any tensile power from water or sunlight. Yo-zuri 10-12lb is stronger than labeled and is a bit thicker than mono, but is super strong and breaks near 15lb test or more. If you are sticking with mono, I would think 20lb test is about as heavy I would ever go on a spinning rod, and maybe 25 on casting gear, and for hybrid, 20lb is all I would consider for Bass Fishing, and if you want more power than that, 20lb coated braids are usually 8lb in diameter, and 30 would be overkill in my opininion....If looking to throw frogs in slop or really start flipping and punching heavy cover, I would get a baitcasting reel and spool up any 4 strand multifilament like Power Pro, Tuff line xp, Fins windtamer, and Suffix 832 is also razor sharp for such a smooth line and is great. 40-65lb test is what I throw on casting gear, and I love Suffix as mentioned, and for the money, Tuff Line XP is every bit as good and rated better than power pro from a tensile breaking strength on a consistent basis, and it handles exactly the same. Power pro is good line, just do not purchase on Ebay from anyone who is not a reputable dealer. Fake Power Pro is more common than people realize, and so is Spider Wire......hope my ramble helps. I am not a fan of Fluorocarbon lines for any application except for spinning gear, finesse fishing, and line in 6lb test for ultra clear fishing only and never in the cold.

Well said....Just because these Chinese reels are doing well for a season, does not mean they will be rolling smooth in 20 years like my first Curado, Abu Royal Express, or STradic and a one bearing Quantum Energy....But I have heard my father tell me that Japanese Imports used to be considered Junk, and now look? stuff has been made overseas in China for years, and many Janpanese companies import them from China as well which only makes sense....But I think you are spot on with your statement and tough to debate your point.

I am sure I am not 100% accurate on every statement abou every company, and I am sure their are a few high end reels that are produced in the USA, as Many companies Like Ardent Still have an R & D facillity in the USA as do most companies who were once manufactured here. I don't claim to understand it all, because this new Globilization is complicated, and if something is made in Korea, or China or Malasyia, I just group it into one because they are not made in the States and I always feel bad for the people who have lost their jobs due to offshore manufacturing. I am sure some of the High End Reels of many companies (Especially if it is patented technology) would still be made in the USA and those reels usually are very Expensive and out of reach for the majoriity of people. I always thought Ardent was still made in America until a few weeks ago actually. I also realize Pure Fishing does not own every company, but they own alot more than I ever realized. I appreciate your comment and this is a topic that I am very intertested in as you can tell from the length of my posts. I still want to believe that my Quantum Reels, Okuma, Shimano, Abus and Daiwas etc. are better than the less expensive Reels and tackle overseas..... Bottom line, when it counts on the water, I am not using any reel that is not stamped with a brand I trust, or any lure that is not from a Tackle warehouse, Bass Pro, or reputable retailer as I know that very subtle differences from lure to lure make a huge difference, and that is true for lures made from the same company from different batches. I have been working on starting my own soft bait line, braid, and even some topwater lures that I have purchased from overseas that I really like, and they work great in local waters, kind of a custom PVC pour like a Roboworm or Megabass texture swimbait.....

I was not aware of Avet fishing reels and they Look to be very High quality and indeed made in the USA. I think I may take a look at an Avet reel since I would like to add an ultralight spinning reel to my collection, and I could also find room for a large 4000 series spinning reel for various applications when a baitcaster is tough to use. I have no problem with the quality of Fishing products from reputable companies who are outsourcing production to OEM's overseas, as many just can't compete anymore with the costs of building products in the USA vs. cheap labor overseas regardless of the politics since the economy is now global in every industry and we are all using products and wearing clothes made in other countries and I was not trying to state that EVERY reel is now made in China, nor am I knocking any brands. I still am happy with the quality of Abu Garcia Reels, Pfluegers, Okuma, Quantum, and Bass pro Fishing Reels that my aresenal mainly consists of as well as a few Shimano, Mitchell, and Daiwa reels which are all very good and I trust each one of these companies to have high quality control standards and I have noticed that the customer service from Okuma and Quantum to be fantastic when I have needed parts as they have gone above and beyond what I expected. I know that a new company named 3:16 is doing both R & D in Tampa Florida where I live, and also manufacturing the products here which I think is great, however the price tag for many of their reels and rods cost more than I am willing to spend but I would love to have one of the baitcasting reels I have seen as they seem to be very High End. I still find Abu garcia reels to be just as good if not better today than when they were manufactured in Sweden. They still do all the R & D in Sweden (At least that is what I have been lead to believe) and I find reels to be every bit as good as the Shimano Stradics and Curados that I am still fishing that were made in Japan in 2001 and I still have a few Bass Pro Extremes from that same time period and a Abu Royal Express Round Baitcaster which is going strong, and an original quantum 1 bearing Energy Spinning reel. The only part of the entire overseas Manufacturing that bothers me is the fact that some companies are making inferior copies, and even worse, American sellers are buying these Knock offs and re-selling them in America as being "Genuine". I have sent emails to Ebay about these lures not being custom painted or genuine lucky crafts or other high end brands and have included emails from a few large sellers admitting to me they are knock offs, and I have even sent links to ebay showing the same paint and models for a few bucks, and then showing how these crooks are turning around and selling them as either custom painted Megabass ITO Jerkbaits and other labels without boxes, six new lures never used with one of each pattern in the same size????? I have seen 6 lures sell for over $100 in some cases and that is alot of money for a knock off Luck e Strike Rc Stick, Matzuo 100mm walking lure, and I could go on for days..... I know that when I purchase a Live Target Gyron from China Direct that it is most likely going to have a different action since the internals were either defective and did not meet the high standards of these companies, or are made with finish that may not last as long, different components etc...But at times, they may be exactly the same, but if they do not have the stamp, then you can't call them Megabass without packaging and permission from the company...I just can't believe guys are not picking up on this...Who would buy 6 or 8 $20 Japanese Lures in 8 colors from a legit retailer in America, open each beautiful package, toss the boxes away, and then put the lures in a tackle box to sell a few months later?? Maybe it's just me, but when I purchased my first Megabass lure, Ima flirt, Spro, Sammy etc...I could not wait to get home and toss that baby in the pool or local pond to check out the action, and see how I can modify the lure to catch fish, and I even save the package just because they are not somthing I buy and see everyday. When any true angler buys lures from Bass Pro, or any store with a large selection, you would never buy all colors of one size (Unless you have alot of money) but most likely grab 2-3 colors of one or two of your favorite lures from Japan to supplement with the Quality Rapala, Smithwicks,Bandits, Excalibur, Strike King etc..... Sorry for another long ramble, but I will say this about china made reels....Some of the Yokishawa reels are awfully smooth and for #15 the cf2000 feels and handles like a $100 spinning reel, and has landed bass over 8lbs, snook over 20lbs. and many other good size fish for a good year now, and it looks and feels brand new.......The guy who fixes reels for the tackle shop I work for has taken one apart and told me it was every bit as good as the Okuma Trio, Penn Battle, and Quantum accurist, and a browning model which I forget that he fixed at the same time....he actually thought it was a Dawia Aird or Procyon based on the insides.....Just telling it how it is, and I still do not fish it when it matter most however, and not sure why as many of my fishing buddies are loading up on these reels and are not having any issues at all, except for one made by some company swagg and they simply sent him a new reel that arrived in 2 weeks..... I still believe that the reels may fakes, but if they are, they are using parts from top quality reels and the specs on this reel are fantastic and casts amazing. Makes me upset only because this reel must cost a few dollars to make, and that means so are my $150 reels.

pure fishing is based on korea, nothing is made in usa anymore, not ardent, or Penn...They are made in china, and so are every single reel you use..Have you looked at boxes..oh, thats right..assembled in America, or Japan. Lumis is not pure fishing made in china as well.

someone mentioned Tica...you will see they make alot more than okuma if go to their site...they sell under usa names

This is a very easy topic, and I would not hesitate to purchase any lure or reel directly from china, and instead of going to the oem direct, do your research....Pure fishing owns almost every brand for fishing reels and lures, and they are part of a publicaly traded company named Jarden, which has to disclose all info to the public including...oem's who build product, profit statements, where shipments are sent and when they clear customs...all that info can be found online by digging a bit, and most of it is already done for you, as people have figured this out...Ever go to Gander mountain and look at the GSX baitcaster and then hold up the Quantum Kinetic.....Gander used to be made by Pinnacle, then pfueger and now it's blatent Quantum...If looking for lures, especially the Japanese lures made in china.....that we pay $20 for....Just find the yahoo site that does more business per year than ebay, and type in Savage 4 play fighter, Segmented Swimbait, S curver swimbait, lake Police, Water Bomber....that will take you to the OEM who makes all bass pro lures, storm, live target, Spro, Savage which is Okuma, and some of Sebiles lures as well.....You can also type in glitter filled Vibe.....and bam....only 10 min on retail site, if you want a batch of soft baits made or custom colors of a lucky or something, then find a trading company carrying the lure, and if they offer a "suit" for any brand...don't trust that one....Reel legit lures and reels at great discount only come from honest sellers, not the ones selling Papala or Duel, or Power pur.....They drop hints, colors will be the same as the "custom painted Japanese Lures" on ebay, as patents don't hold weight, but if you order a Japanese lure like the Ima flirt, they will not put Owner hooks, but instead send VMC to usa, and lure will be tagged under either china oem stamp, no stamp, but usually the stamp where lure is sold in Europe or Australia....I have gotten fakes, but I don't mind good quality fakes, I love Academy H20 Express Cranks, and just like soft baits in america which are mostly made in Georgia and Alabama.....only 3-4 oem's make 90% of Pradco, japanese Lures, and all the brands you want....as far as reels, you get what you pay for, so don't expect an Okuma Helios for $50....You can get them super cheap if willing to go to wholesale side and purchase 500 moq of one size of reel....SOme of those baitcasters that are 11 ball bearings for 39 or 29 on ebay are only 15-20 ea on retail china site, and if a real is a tica, or other reputable OEM's which make the reels for Abu,Pfueger, Okuma etc..The reels on that oem's site or china brand or ausi brand can be found from trading company and my guess is they are real deal,only missed quality control for scratches, small blemishes, or simple over stocks as they give 3 year warranties and honor them if you send them back...My buddy sells many at flea markets and it's hit or miss, but you can get awesome looking reels everyone will try when they pass by your booth and know fishing.... Hope that helps, be careful with braid, spectra and dyneema are owned by honeywell and two japanese companies and those patents are honored, however many braids in the usa do not have dyneema or spectra on package and guys love them and they are sold in all major catologs..I believe it is simply dacron, or just a variation of dyneema sk-65 or sk-71 as I know they can change formula just a little bit and it is just as strong as dyneema and with all the techonology we have given the asian manufactures, they can copy and often do it better on their own, plus do you really think Pinnacle has strong quality control??? or Okuma is watching over the Savage line of lures, or is it a coincedence every suspending jerkbait looks like the megabass ito 110? Lucky strike, academy, cabelas has the raad swimmer which is similar to storm, live target and sebile magic swimmer and I know for a fact all are made in same place. I have done well with swiimbaits, and frogs, topwaters etc. over the years, it is just tough to sell them, so I just order 10 and give a few to friends at cost and if I lose a $30 lure, I only paid maybe $5-$8....Otherwise I can't afford those lures, and since it is global market, you would be foolish to not take advantage of it and if you ever go to Icast, you can get reps to tell you all the secrets and subtle differences between lures, as their are differrences in internals....Never buy any lures on ebay in custom paint, especially without a box.....I still go to tackle warehouse for a few of the lures I cant live without or chance having even a lure with a slight imperfection....Sammy, Flatt Shads, Magic Swimmers, Little John, Stacey, and boil trigger, and gyron, but the gyrons from China are super nice and have same action, weight, better color.....you will find if you look, and willing to stay up late as I am tonight to instant message a company you build a relationship with, and trading companies will get you anything you want and be honest with you.....If 200 is moq for a lure you love and want to save big bucks, ask for an assortment of 200 pieces and get some friends to chip in and create a custom color fish have never seen.......same with custom pvc hand pours like Skinny Bear, Cover Craws, Spindle, Jackall and all overpriced japanese cheap softbaits that float and we love.

pound for pound it is hard to beat the president, and the supreme is also very nice and light, but for $50 more, I would rather buy 2 presidents, or step up and spend some money on an abu garci orra sx, or any abu spinning reel, even the orra s is a fantastic reel for the $69 retail price.... I know see that Abu is selling the Revo SX which seems to be the Orra S as far as color, weight, gear ration etc..I picked it up at dicks, and it felt like my orra s spinning reels which I purchased as a backup and now reach for it ahead of my Presidents, and even my stradics...I now have a few orra s, and got a deal on the new mitchell 300 which is a nice spinning reel for the money as well...... I don't feel the supreme is worth the extra money and I returned it after one trip since I noticed the light weight, but it also felt like it didnt have the same quality feel as the president, even though it was smooth.... President spinning reels are a steal for the money whether a begginner or experienced angler, and the abu orra s is another reel that is much better than the price would indicate. People also bash the Sabalos however, I find it to be a nice reel as well.

anyone who is a power pro fan would most likely find that Tuff-Line Xp is every bit as good, and you can find it on sale for $18.95 for 300 yards and they make a 4 stand spectra multifliament which is exactly what power pro is, and the plus is an 8 strand. I believe that some of the xp is a 6 strand as they make both a 20lb 6 diameter, and a 25lb 6 dia which I have been using for a year and love it. Keeep in mind, Tuff Line duracast was an Icast award winning line a few years back as it is not a braid, but a coated superline similar to the texture of Berkley Crystal, some Spiderwire and other PE coated Lines that are designed and optimized for spinning reels and usually not as thin. With that said, I have used both Duracast and Crystal in 6,10,14,20lb test & find that Berkley crystal to be much smoother out of the box, where Duracast is Priced great $300 yards for $14.99 and after you break it in, it is as good as any coated line...... I am looking forward to trying the new Tuff Line as I know the shop I work at on weekends is getting a large shipment in this week I believe. I am usually 1 year behind on tackle technology since I work for a liquidator, however I always have to order some new line and lures online and at my local Dicks sporting goods when they first come out. Right now I am a Tuff line Braid user, Berkley Crystal Fireline user for a few spinning rods, and really like the new yo-zuri Hybrid ultra soft Copylmer...I am over all the Fluorocarbons and using the savings to buy better quality tackle and lures, and Fluorocarbon LEader material, not casting line as leader...I beleive it makes a differnence. I do like the new Fluorocarbons that have hit the market in the last year as the first few 100% fluorocarbons I tried were Vanish, Fluorocast, and Invisx which I found to be Problematic in all cases....I really like the spider wire Flurocarbon, and Vanish was such a bad experience I still have doubts when I hook a good fish with flurocarbon because Berkley Vanish was not good line IMO, or maybe I had bad batches..... Tuff line is made in Colorodo and They are a quality line, and I will take Tuff Line over Power Pro any day, since I know it is not being knocked off with fakes. I will use Power Pro Plus, and Daiwa Samurai when a sale comes my way, but going to seek out the new Tuff line as it has to be great.